#MeToo | Now, MJ Akbar accused of sexual harassment

The #MeToo campaign has now hit the government with Union Minister and former editor MJ Akbar accused of sexual harassment by many women journalists. Akbar was first named in a tweet by journalist and former ‘Mint Lounge’ editor Priya Ramani.

Ramani had written about her whole experience in a ‘Vogue India’ article in October 2017 where she called out a ‘celebrity editior’ without naming him for his inappropriate behaviour with women journalists. She also described how Akbar set up interviews with women journalists in hotel rooms “with drinks at hand”, the ‘Wire’ reported.

Ramani on Monday identified Akbar, now MoS, External Affairs, as the ‘celebrity editior’ in her write-up.

“I began this piece with my MJ Akbar story. Never named him because he didn’t “do” anything. Lots of women have worse stories about this predator—maybe they’ll share. #ulti https://www.vogue.in/content/harvey-weinsteins-open-letter-sexual-harassment/amp/#click=https://t.co/A2uHiJt9zd …,” Ramani twitted.

I began this piece with my MJ Akbar story. Never named him because he didn’t “do” anything. Lots of women have worse stories about this predator—maybe they’ll share. #ultihttps://t.co/5jVU5WHHo7

Three more journalists, in response to Ramani’s tweets, came out to make similar allegations against Akbar.

“He was this brilliant,flamboyant #editor who dabbled in politics, who called me-my 1st job- to his hotel room to ‘discuss work’, after i put the edition to bed-read midnight, & made life at work hell when i refused.,cudnt speak up due to various compulsions, but yes #MeTooIndia,” tweeted writer and conservationist Prerna Singh Bindra.

He was this brilliant,flamboyant #editor who dabbled in politics, who called me-my 1st job- to his hotel room to 'discuss work', after i put the edition to bed-read midnight, & made life at work hell when i refused.,cudnt speak up due to various compulsions, but yes #MeTooIndia

“It was #MJAkbar I do not say this lightly..i know the consequences of false accusations &it has been now 17 yrs &i have no concrete proof. but i was young, just made features editor, super impressed with our brilliant editor, sensitive writer(read Riot after Riot),” Bindra wrote in another tweet.

@It was #MJAkbar I do not say this lightly..i know the consequences of false accusations &it has been now 17 yrs &i have no concrete proof. but i was young, just made features editor, super impressed with our brilliant editor, sensitive writer(read Riot after Riot), 1/4

“So many of us have an MJ story. “Can I come over to your house with a bottle of rum?” he said. NO, was the answer…. Couldnt ‘do’ anything. Some dont get the meaning of No… they move on to the next, dont they,” tweeted journalist Harinder Baweja.

So many of us have an MJ story. "Can I come over to your house with a bottle of rum?" he said. NO, was the answer…. Couldnt 'do' anything. Some dont get the meaning of No… they move on to the next, dont they https://t.co/eMnO6Y3PNX